Step by Step: Banana Bread

500g flour

2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

2 tbsp cinnamon powder

230g soft butter

200g brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract (real one!)

4 eggs at room temperature

5-7 ripe bananas

250g sliced almonds

• preheat oven to 175°C or 350°F
• roast almonds over medium heat until golden brown
• mash bananas and add almonds and spices
• put aside

• mix soft butter and sugar until light and fluffy
• add vanilla and mix again

• add all eggs at once and beat until you get a white and fluffy mixture
• (can take up to 5min of mixing, the more you mix, the lighter the bread)

• add banana mash to the butter-egg dough and mix gently until just incorporated
• don't overmix as we don't want the dough to get runny

• add flour and baking soda at once
• fold in with a spatula, do NOT use the electric mixer at this time, the batter hast to be nice and creamy, no lumps of flour 

• butter a square loaf tin and put a hand full of flour in it
• shake the tin around until every side is covered with flour, then lightly tap on the back and sides to get rid of the unnecessary flour (best done over a sink, don't rinse the flour off with hot water due to its sticking ingredients)

• bake for 30min, then cover with aluminium foil, rotate the form so it bakes evenly and put back into the oven for another 20-25min until golden brown on top and a wooden toothpick once inserted comes out without any crumbs on it

Tip: change almonds to walnuts, add raisins as you like, use other kinds of cinnamon than the store bought (I got saigon cinnamon out of vietnam)